Energy guide chain and roller module

Abstract

A cable carrier for accommodating and guiding cables, comprising parallel first link strands of opposing first links which are connected to each other by means of first cross stays, wherein outside at least one first link strand and parallel to this a second link strand of second links is arranged, which are opposite the first links of the adjacent first link strand and of which at least some are connected by way of second cross stays to the opposite first links, and wherein, between at least some of the opposing first and second links, rollers are arranged which project beyond the first and second links on at least one side of the cable carrier perpendicular to the first and second cross stays.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An energy guide chain to accommodate and guide at least one of at least one energy transmission line or at least one information transmission line, comprising:
 parallel first plate rows in which first plates are arranged oppositely, 
 wherein the first plates of each first plate row are hingedly connected together, 
 wherein first transverse limbs connect at least some of the opposite first plates of the first plate rows to each other, 
 wherein arranged outside, parallel and adjacent at least one of the first plate rows is a second plate row comprising hingedly interconnected second plates which are opposite the first plates of the adjacent first plate row, 
 wherein second transverse limbs connect at least some of the second plates to the opposite first plates, 
 wherein the energy guide chain has a plane extending in a center thereof and parallel to the first plate rows, and 
 wherein arranged between at least some of the second plates of the second plate row and the first plates of the adjacent first plate row, wherein the second plate row and the adjacent first plate row are at a same side of the plane, are rollers which project beyond the first and second plates at at least one side of the energy guide chain, that face perpendicularly to the first and second transverse limbs. 
 
     
     
       2. The energy guide chain according to  claim 1 , wherein directly adjacent plates of each of the first and second plate row are pivotable relative to each other from a position of being substantially straight in a longitudinal direction of the energy guide chain in a first pivotal direction over an angle α≠0° such that the energy guide chain is bendable to form a first arc and is pivotable in a second pivotal direction opposite to the first pivotal direction over a pivotal angle β>0°, wherein α>β and wherein the rollers project beyond the first and second plates at the outside of the energy guide chain which is bendable to form the first arc. 
     
     
       3. The energy guide chain according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates are of a same height. 
     
     
       4. The energy guide chain according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates each have a height, respectively, and a diameter of the rollers is greater than or equal to the height of the first and/or second plates and less than or equal to double the height of the first and/or second plates. 
     
     
       5. The energy guide chain according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second plates connected to the second transverse limbs have fixing portions which cooperate with fixing portions arranged at the second transverse limbs for releasable connection to the second transverse limbs. 
     
     
       6. The energy guide chain according to  claim 1 , wherein the first plates connected by the first transverse limbs have fixing portions which cooperate with fixing portions arranged at the first transverse limbs for releasable connection to the first transverse limbs. 
     
     
       7. The energy guide chain according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one roller of the rollers is mounted in a holding means which is in a form of a yoke, with two limbs which are parallel to the first and second plates and between which the roller is arranged, and which are connected together in a first end region by a connecting limb, wherein the holding means forms one of the second transverse limbs connecting one of the first plates and one of the second plates opposite thereto. 
     
     
       8. The energy guide chain according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates having one of the rollers arranged therebetween are connected together by a second transverse limb at a side opposite to the side at which the roller projects outwardly. 
     
     
       9. The energy guide chain according to  claim 8 , wherein the roller is mounted in a holding means which is supported inwardly on the transverse limb and which is fixed at the opposite first and second plates. 
     
     
       10. The energy guide chain according to  claim 9 , wherein the holding means is in a form of a yoke, with two lateral limbs-which are parallel to the first and second plates and which are connected together in a first end region by a connecting limb, and which in a second end region opposite the first end region respectively have outwardly angled regions, wherein the connecting limb is supported on an inside by the second transverse limb and the angled regions bear against undersides of the first and second plates. 
     
     
       11. The energy guide chain according to  claim 10  the angled regions are fixed by screws to the undersides of the first and second plates. 
     
     
       12. The energy guide chain according to  claim 10  the angled regions bear without fixing means against the undersides of the first and second plates, wherein provided beneath the angled region engaging over the first plate is a fixing element for the holding means on an adjacent first or second plate, wherein the fixing element has a fixing portion which is of an identical configuration to the fixing portion of the second transverse limb and is fixable to the fixing portion of the first plate. 
     
     
       13. The energy guide chain according to  claim 12  at least one of the second end regions of the parallel limbs of the holding means has an opening through which the respective fixing element extends and fastens the angled regions to prevent lateral displacement relative to the first or second plate respectively. 
     
     
       14. A roller module for lateral fixing to an energy guide chain having parallel first plate rows in which first plates are arranged oppositely, wherein the energy guide chain has a plane extending in a center thereof and parallel to the first plate rows, wherein at least some of the opposite first plates are connected together by transverse limbs, wherein the roller module has a second plate which is suitable for a second plate row of the energy guide chain and a roller mounted in a holding means, wherein the holding means is connected to the second plate and has a fixing means for releasable fixing to a first plate of one of the first plates of an adjacent first plate row of the first plate rows, that is in opposite relationship to the second plate, and the roller projects beyond the second plate in a direction facing parallel to the second plate, wherein the second plate row and the adjacent first plate row are at a same side of the plane. 
     
     
       15. The roller module according to  claim 14 , wherein the holding means is in a form of a yoke, with two limbs which are parallel to the second plate and between which the roller is arranged, and which are connected together in a first end region by a connecting limb, wherein the holding means forms a transverse limb which is arrangeable between the first plate of the energy guide chain and the second plate of the roller module. 
     
     
       16. The roller module according to  claim 15 , wherein at the first end regions the parallel limbs have projections which are extended in a longitudinal direction thereof and which project laterally beyond the transverse limb and which bear against ends of the transverse limb, that face perpendicularly to a spindle of the roller. 
     
     
       17. The roller module according to  claim 15 , wherein at one or more sides facing in a longitudinal direction the angled regions have plates facing towards the first end region of the parallel limbs and which are laterally engageable over the fixing elements. 
     
     
       18. The roller module according to  claim 14 , wherein the roller module has a transverse limb which extends transversely relative to the second plate and which in a first end region is connected to the second plate and in a second end region has a fixing portion for releasable fixing to a first plate of the first plates of the energy guide chain. 
     
     
       19. The roller module according to  claim 18 , wherein the first end region the transverse limb has a fixing portion releasably connected to a fixing portion at the second plate. 
     
     
       20. The roller module according to  claim 18 , wherein the roller is mounted in the holding means which is supported inwardly on the transverse limb and which is connected to the second plate and has fixing means for connection to an oppositely disposed first plate of an energy guide chain. 
     
     
       21. The roller module according to  claim 20 , wherein the holding means is in a form of a yoke, with two lateral limbs which are parallel to the second plate and which in a first end region are connected together by a connecting limb and in a second end region have outwardly angled regions, wherein the connecting limb bears against an inside of the transverse limb and the angled regions are to bear against a side of the first and second plates, at which the roller projects. 
     
     
       22. The roller module according to  claim 21 , wherein the angled regions have fixing means for fixing at the side of the first and second plates, at which the roller projects. 
     
     
       23. The roller module according to  claim 21 , wherein one of the angled regions bears without fixing means against the side of the second plate, at which the roller projects outwardly, and the other one of the angled regions is bearable against the first plate of an energy guide chain, wherein the second end regions of the parallel limbs respectively have an opening through which a fixing element is extendable, with which the angled regions are secured to the first and second plate respectively. 
     
     
       24. The roller module according to  claim 14 , wherein the holding means has a height, and a diameter of the roller is greater than or equal to the height and less than or equal to double the height of the holding means. 
     
     
       25. A roller module for lateral fixing to an energy guide chain having parallel plate rows comprising opposite first plates, wherein at least some of the opposite plates are connected together by transverse limbs, wherein the roller module has a second plate which is suitable for the energy guide chain and a roller mounted in a holding means, wherein the holding means is connected to the second plate and has a fixing means for releasable fixing to a first plate of the first plates of the energy guide chain, that is in opposite relationship to the second plate, and the roller projects beyond the second plate in a direction facing parallel to the second plate,
 wherein the holding means is in a form of a yoke, with two limbs which are parallel to the second plate and between which the roller is arranged, and which are connected together in a first end region by a connecting limb, wherein the holding means forms a transverse limb which is arrangeable between the first plate of the energy guide chain and the second plate of the roller module.